Matthäus was unveiled as Stanimir Stoilov's replacement only ten days ago but demonstrated he has done his homework after turning to untried trio Boyan Peykov, Nikolay Bodurov and Daniel Dimov. All play their football in the Bulgarian A League, but there is no place for Parma FC striker Valeri Bozhinov, nor for Sanfrecce Hiroshima defender Iliyan Stoyanova.

PSV Eindhoven full-back Stanislav Manolev is injured so FC Universitatea Craiova's Valentin Iliev returns to the fold, as does Blagoy Georgiev after recovering from a knee problem. Bulgaria, who kicked off Group G with back-to-back defeats by England and Montenegro, face Wales before a friendly against Saudi Arabia in Istanbul on 12 October.

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